


When Love Hurts

by Zorro_sci



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bruce Banner Feels, Bruce Banner Is a Good Bro, Bruce Banner Needs a Hug, M/M, Poor Tony Stark, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Warning for abuse, warning for dubcon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-06
Updated: 2014-07-06
Packaged: 2018-02-07 16:21:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1905681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zorro_sci/pseuds/Zorro_sci
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony has a new boyfriend and things are going great . . . Until they're not.  Only Bruce knows the truth.  What will he do?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written in response to http://avengerkink.livejournal.com/17613.html?thread=40208845#t40208845
> 
> WARNING: abuse, violence, dubious consent

"Looks like someone's got another date tonight," Natasha commented as Tony walked through the Avenger's living room in a nice suit.

"Wow Stark, same guy, or a different person every night this week?" Clint questioned.

"Same person," Tony answered as he headed for the door. "And what makes you think my date's a man?"

"Maybe the scent of cologne on your jacket when you came home last Monday. It wasn't the scent you were wearing when you left," Natasha remarked without looking up from her book.

"You were smelling me? Far be it for me to judge, still that seems kinda weird, but whatever. Don't wait up kids," he called as he walked out the door.

This had become a fairly normal scene in Avenger's Tower. Tony would breeze out on his way to a date, the others would tease him, and then they would speculate about who this mystery man was. Nobody knew who he was, but their curiosity grew with each date. Tony really seemed to interested in whoever it was.

Bruce never stayed for the speculation. The others thought it was because he had no interest, and was far too mature to engage in the juvenile task. None of them, not even the super spies, knew that the real reason he avoided these conversations was he had a bit of a crush on the billionaire. He had no plans of acting on his feelings, he knew that doing so would be a bad idea, (with the Hulk, him and anyone was a bad idea). Not to mention he was far from willing to risk the first real friendship he'd had in years over a silly crush. 

Still, he had no desire to hear all about how amazing Tony's date must be to make him both miss lab time and get him to go out so many nights in a row. Really, the incessant text messages Tony got from the guy while he and Bruce were working in the lab were enough of a reminder of the engineer's new relationship. The foolish grin on Tony's face was enough of a painful twinge, even as Bruce reminded himself that Tony was his friend and nothing more.


	2. Chapter 2

For a few weeks the routine continued. Tony rushed out most evenings for a date, and giggled like a school girl as he read texts in the lab. The others speculated about Tony's mystery man, and Bruce hid in the lab, still trying to convince himself that his feelings were temporary.

Then one night, Tony returned from one of his dates and sought out Bruce in the lab. 

"Bruce, I need a favor," Tony said as he entered the lab, skipping greetings and other preliminaries entirely.

"Sure. What?"

"First of all you have to promise me you won't ask any questions."

"Okay," Bruce agreed in a cautious tone as he raised an eyebrow at the other scientist.

Tony paused a moment, nodded, and then held his arm out for Bruce to inspect. It had several deep scratches.

"How . . ."

"No questions," Tony interrupted abruptly.

"Right," Bruce sighed as grabbed a bottle of antiseptic from the first aid kit. He carefully cleaned the wounds and then gently bandaged them. Then he let go of Tony's arm and met the other man's eye. Tony smiled his thanks and left the lab.

A couple nights later it happened again. This time it was several bruises and some angry-looking scrapes. Once again, Bruce cleaned and wrapped the injuries in silence. No questions; even though Bruce was pretty sure he knew who was behind the new marks.

Then Tony appeared again, a couple nights later. More bruises, more scrapes, and a few small lacerations. Bruce had to bite his tongue not to ask any questions, but he didn't want to scare Tony off. At least for the time being Tony was getting medical help for his injuries. That was at least something. He could have been trying to hide them entirely. He certainly was doing his best to hide them from everyone else. If he was trusting Bruce enough to allow him to help, it seemed like Bruce could at least remain silent, as much as it hurt him to do so.

Bruce found himself unable to sleep on nights when he knew Tony had dates; fearing for what his friend would ask him to help with this time, what new injuries would be marking his body next time Bruce needed to patch him up.

When Tony came home with a broken arm, Bruce could stay silent no more. This had gone way too far. He never should have kept his mouth shut even this long.

"Tony, he's hurting you," Bruce said over Tony's attempts to silence him. "You're in an abusive relationship."

"I know," Tony replied quietly.

 _I know_? Those words rendered Bruce mute. He had expected Tony to deny it. To argue with him. To rage against Bruce's accusation. To defend his boyfriend. All of those things he was prepared for. He had mentally thought over what he would do with each of those responses as he had remained silent time after time while treating the results of Tony's boyfriend's rage. This he had no plan for. This quiet, almost resigned, acceptance. What should he do?

Any options he had were taken from him when Tony left silently the second that Bruce finished splinting his arm. Bruce sighed as he watched him make his way to the elevator. This was wrong. Why was Tony so willing to accept this?


	3. Chapter 3

Tony wasn't stupid. He knew that his relationship with his boyfriend was not the best. He knew that his boyfriend shouldn't hit or kick him. He knew that he shouldn't have marks on him when he left a date, but he also knew that he cared deeply about this man. He had never felt the way he did about this man about anyone else, (well, expect maybe Bruce, but that was never going to happen, so he might as well put that right out of his mind). 

He also knew that every time he asked Bruce for help it hurt the other man. He could see the sadness on Bruce's face as he patiently and silently treated Tony's wounds. He felt bad for asking Bruce to help, and to stay silent, but he knew he needed the help, and Bruce was the only one he trusted enough to ask for it.

After Bruce finally put words to what happened; speaking earnestly, with genuine concern in his eyes, Tony wondered if he wasn't wrong to be taking advantage of Bruce's kind nature. If there was a way Dr. Banner could help, he would; no matter what the consequence. Tony knew this, and he wondered if he was burdening Bruce too much by asking him to help keep his secret.

After sleeping on it, Tony decided he wouldn't bother Bruce with his injuries anymore. It was Tony's cross to bear, and he was sure he could clean up any injuries that might result. Making Bruce see all of what happened and then asking him to forget it was asking too much, and it hurt him to think that he was hurting Bruce.

At least, that was Tony's plan until the night when rough sex had gone from "quick and dirty" to mercilessly being pounded into the headboard while deep scratches marred his body, and increasingly violent thrusts felt like they were going to split him in half. He had left shame-faced and with blood in his boxers, mentally telling himself it would all be okay.

When the bleeding still hadn't stopped half an hour after his return to the Tower, he knew he was in trouble, and sought out Bruce. Dealing with the situation was going to be far from comfortable, but he knew he needed help.


	4. Chapter 4

Bruce was sitting awake in the Avenger's living room. All the others had gone to sleep hours ago. The TV was turned on in front of him, but he wasn't really watching it. His mind was elsewhere.

Try as he might, he couldn't stop thinking about Tony. Since he had confronted the billionaire about his abusive relationship, he hadn't seen him. He was sure Tony was avoiding him, and he felt guilty. Sure, staying silent had been far from easy, but at least Tony had had someone to go to when things got bad; someone to make sure that his injuries were properly treated. Now he was afraid that Tony would be facing his current situation all alone, and the thought made him feel sick. To be honest, the whole situation made him feel sick.

Tony was an amazing man. Brilliant, funny, charming, kind, and self-sacrificing no matter what facades of self-importance and self-obsession he put on. He deserved to be cherished, loved and protected; not treated like a punching bag. 

The Hulk grumbled in the back of Bruce's mind at the thought of someone hurting Tony, and Bruce had to take a couple of deep breathes to calm himself. He would get nowhere with this line of thinking. Besides, there was really little he could do about Tony's choices.

No sooner had he finished that thought than Tony came in through the door, looking badly battered. He met Bruce's eye from the doorway, and the pair silently made their way to Bruce's lab, where he kept all of his medical supplies.

As soon as they reached the part of the lab that they used as a makeshift sickbay, Tony started to flush.

"I . . Well . . . Tonight we . . . Um . . . Things got a little rough in the bedroom," Tony stammered, his eyes begging Bruce to catch the meaning in his words.

Bruce's eyes widened as he realized what Tony was trying to say. He waited as Tony removed his pants and boxers, and then carefully helped him get in a position where Bruce was able to reached the swelling tears to gently clean them and stitch them closed.

After Bruce finished with those stitches he noticed some bleeding scratches on Tony's legs, and expertly cleaned and stitched up those as well. Then he gently asked Tony to remove his shirt and repeated the same process with some deeply clawed scratches across his back and torso.

"You need to leave him," Bruce whispered vehemently as he finished his work. "Look at what he did to you. Tony, this is wrong."

"Bruce, I know. But I love him. If I have to put up with some pain for love, isn't it worth it? I mean, life is full of pain anyway," Tony commented.

"No," Bruce shook his head determinedly. "This isn't love. He doesn't love you. I do. Taking care of someone when they're hurt. . . That's love. Dropping everything to be there for them. . . That's love. Worrying about that person, and wanting to keep them from harm. . . That's love. Keeping silent when you're dying inside, because you think that's the only way you can protect the person you care about. . . That's love. Keeping myself from hunting down the man who did this and making him suffer, because it would upset you no matter how much he deserves it. . . That's love. Tony love shouldn't leave you bruised and broken. He doesn't love you, and you deserve better."

"Do you really think so?" Tony whispered, looking up from the floor to meet Bruce's gaze.

"Yes," Bruce whispered back.

"Do you really love me? Or did you just mean love, like, you know, you love your best friend," Tony asked cautiously.

Bruce thought a second. Tony was giving him an out. He could claim he was just talking about how much he cared about Tony as his friend, and pretend that he hadn't said more than he had intended to. It would certainly make things less complicated. But he knew it would be a lie. He was _in love_ with Tony, and one look at the barely concealed earnestness on Tony's face told him that his only recourse was to tell the truth.

"I love you. I'm completely in love with you. And I care far too much to let some asshole hurt you. Even if you don't feel the same way about me that I feel about you, please at least leave this guy. I don't think my heart can take seeing you hurt like this anymore," Bruce said sincerely. By the end he was pleading, but he didn't care. His dignity was a small price to pay for Tony's safety.

"I'm sorry Bruce," Tony replied, tears sitting in his eyes. "I never meant to hurt you. You're too good for me really. How you could ever love me is a complete mystery to me."

Bruce pulled the other man into a gentle, but tight, hug mindful of the bruises and freshly sutured gashes.

"It's impossible for me to be too good for you. You're amazing. Smart and kind, with a great sense of humor. How could I not love you?" Bruce whispered gently into his ear.

Tony cried softly against Bruce's shoulder for a few minutes, unable to hold back all of his emotion, despite his best efforts. Things were just too close to the surface to hold them in anymore.

Then Bruce led Tony up to his bedroom, and helped him get settled into bed before he made up the couch and settled himself on it. He wanted to be close by in case Tony needed him. The other man was more than a little beat up and might need his assistance again.


	5. Chapter 5

After that night where they both let their guards down, and said more than they ever meant to say, Tony broke up with his boyfriend. Bruce was very pleased with this development, though he wouldn't allow himself to hope that Tony's newfound singleness meant that he stood a chance. Sure, Tony had cried and said a lot of things that night when they both laid their emotions bare in front of each other. Still, he had never said that he loved Bruce, only that he thought himself unworthy of Bruce's love. 

Bruce returned to his routine of working and joking with Tony like they had done before. Maybe he ran interference so no one noticed when someone moved a little too quickly and Tony flinched. Maybe he changed the subject anytime one of the other Avengers asked about what had happened to Tony's mystery man, but by and large things returned to more or less normal. Bruce figured it was for the best, so he was more than a little surprised when Tony waltzed into the lab two weeks later and pulled him into a kiss.

"What was that for?" Bruce heard himself asking dumbly.

"Because I love you, and I'm reliably told that a kiss is one way to show love," Tony answered breezily.

"Oh," Bruce replied with a flush crawling over his cheeks. "You love me?"

He knew he was only repeating what Tony had just said like some sort of idiotic parrot, but he needed to be sure. This was too important for there to be any chance of miscommunication.

"That is what I just said, isn't it?" Tony replied in mock confusion.

"Tony," Bruce half-scolded in an exasperated tone.

"Yes, Bruce. I love you," Tony said more seriously, looking Bruce straight in the eye.

"I love you too, Tony," he responded equally seriously.

"So . . . I know a great place . . . Dinner at eight?" Tony tried in what he meant to be a casual tone, but came out fairly awkward.

"Are you sure you're ready to start dating again?" Bruce frowned. "I mean . . .you just . . ."

"I know I just broke up with someone else. And he abused me. But if I let that stop me from going forward with my life, then I'm just letting that relationship continue to hurt me. Look, I'm not saying I'm completely over it, but I'm moving on. . .and I'd very much like to move on with you . . . So dinner at eight?" Tony acknowledged.

Bruce was dumbstruck. That actually make a lot of sense. Still unable to speak he nodded his head slowly and Tony beamed.

Bruce knew that there was probably a long road ahead of them to make their relationship work, if it even worked at all, but when he saw Tony's smile and felt its warmth wash over him, he couldn't help but feel hopeful.


End file.
